Community Financial Credit Union debuts its Choose the Bear™ movement, aimed at providing critical support to survivors of domestic violence. Inspired by a recent social media trend where women overwhelmingly chose to face a bear rather than be left alone in the woods with a man, Choose the Bear™ symbolizes empowerment and safety for survivors seeking refuge from abusive relationships.

Developed in collaboration with First Step, a leading nonprofit agency specializing in services for victims of domestic and sexual violence, this initiative underscores Community Financial’s commitment to addressing economic abuse and assisting survivors in reclaiming their financial independence. Choose the Bear™ aims to provide survivors with emergency financial assistance to facilitate their exit from abusive environments. It includes specialized financial services, such as the CloseEnuff™ cash flow boosting checking account, designed to rebuild financial autonomy and credit, and a compassionate team of trained professionals offering unwavering support throughout a survivor’s journey.

“At Community Financial, we stand with survivors of domestic violence, offering not only financial support but also a pathway to safety and empowerment,” said Tansley Stearns, president and CEO of Community Financial. “Economic abuse keeps three in four individuals with their abusive partner longer. As a financial institution, we have a responsibility to help. We stand with people in the bright spots, the dark moments and everything in between, and Choose the Bear™ is a step in helping people regain freedom from abuse. We’re also proud that the idea for the movement came from our team. This demonstrates our superpower of listening in action.”

With one in five women in America experiencing sexual assault, and one in three suffering from domestic violence, this initiative addresses a pressing issue exacerbated by economic abuse, which traps many survivors in dangerous situations. Up to 99% of domestic violence cases involve economic abuse, underscoring the urgent need for intervention. Choose the Bear™ seeks to address this issue by leveraging Community Financial’s resources and expertise to offer resources and guidance for survivors to safely determine a path to recovery.

Community Financial is dedicated to creating a safer, more supportive environment where survivors can rebuild and thrive. For more information on Choose the Bear™, please visit: https://www.cfcu.org/choosethebear

Nook, a Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO) and pioneer of niche experiences, proudly welcomes Kyle Stutzman, a seasoned community banking and credit union executive, as its newest strategic advisor. With his expertise and passion for technology and financial innovation, Stutzman brings valuable industry knowledge to Nook.

Kyle Stutzman joins Nook with an extensive background engaging with fintechs, banks, and credit unions on technology trends, data trends, automation, tech operations, and digital transformation. His strategic advisory will be crucial for navigating to the changing financial landscape and seizing new opportunities as Nook continues expanding its credit union network.

“I’m really looking forward to joining Nook’s Strategic Advisory Board,” stated Kyle Stutzman. “Nook’s commitment to the credit union industry and the ecosystem of fintech partners very much aligns with my own mission. Credit unions need to focus on deepening their member relationships and I strongly believe Nook’s solution is one of the best ways to do so.”

In addition to his role at Nook, Stutzman co-founded Pure IT Credit Union Services, a CUSO that provides technology assessments and strategic roadmaps for their institutions. Stutzman is also the CEO and Co-Founder of Janusea, an integration platform focused on connecting innovative tech solutions and community financial institutions. As CEO of Janusea, he is focused on integrations, enabling new solutions, and removing barriers to collaboration in our industry. Stutzman is a strong finance professional with an MBA focused in Business from Colorado Technical University and is highly skilled in strategic planning, operations management, business development, technology strategy, project management, and executing strategic plans.

“Kyle will be a remarkable addition to our team of strategic advisors here at Nook,” said Austin Wentzlaff, Co-Founder & CEO of Nook. “He brings a wide range of knowledge and experience on credit unions, CUSOs, and Fintech and we’re excited to learn from him as he advises us on our mission of bringing relationship-based banking back to credit unions.”

​Glia, the leader in customer interaction technology, today announced a strategic partnership with CU*Answers, a credit union service organization (CUSO), to unify member interactions within its digital banking platform. The partnership will provide credit unions with the ChannelLess® tools needed to drive efficiencies, loyalty and conversions.
 
By integrating Glia’s technology into CU*Answers’ It’s Me 247 Online Banking solution, credit unions can meet members where they are and then seamlessly transition across interaction channels, including phone calls, digital messaging, chatbots, video chats and SMS, without ever losing context or data. Glia empowers credit unions to more effectively personalize member interactions while saving valuable agent time.
 
Illinois Community Credit Union (ICCU) was the first CU*Answers credit union to leverage Glia within the online banking platform. Adam Ferguson, VP of Operations at ICCU, explained, “One of the lessons that we learned when looking to CU*Answers as our core provider was that we needed to really simplify our tech—to get everything in one place. There just isn’t the bandwidth or resources to develop expertise in all these different platforms. We could execute all of our modernization, from chat to AI, on a single platform with Glia. By integrating Glia into their solutions, CU*Answers can offer a simple, long-term solution to their institutions in a more cost effective way.”
 
"As a CUSO, we remain committed to providing our credit unions with innovative technology that will help them succeed, and the integration of Glia directly supports this mission," said Kristian Daniel, VP, Client Services & Education at CU*Answers. "Their modern architecture and ChannelLess® approach to member interaction and support helps credit unions improve the member experience while simultaneously boosting efficiencies. Together, we are transforming how credit unions interact with their members online."
 
"We are proud to partner with CU*Answers, bringing our advanced unified interaction capabilities to enhance member support in this always-on environment," said Dan Michaeli, CEO and co-founder of Glia. "Integrating our platform within the CU*Answers online banking platform enables their credit union community to quickly and easily leverage our modern member interaction technology to overcome context gaps, strengthen member relationships and create a competitive advantage."
 
In 2023, Glia announced the launch of its own CUSO, focused on member service solutions. Glia selected a diverse group of credit union clients to invest and form part of an advisory committee.

​Mahalo Banking today announced its new partnership with Bellingham, Wash.-based Industrial Credit Union ($382M in assets). Industrial selected Mahalo’s solution to optimize integrations and deliver an exceptional digital banking experience.
 
Digital services are the most utilized member channels at Industrial, prompting the credit union to find a digital banking partner with a robust platform, technical expertise, and a vision for future advancements. Although the credit union prioritizes continuous innovation, its team faced integration challenges that hindered the expansion of its digital banking features and capabilities. By partnering with Mahalo, Industrial aims to enhance platform extensibility and drive seamless innovation. Additionally, the partnership will facilitate deeper integrations between Industrial's core provider, Corelation Keystone, and Mahalo’s solution, easing integration burdens and powering faster growth.
 
Dain Stevens, VP of Digital Services with Industrial, said, “We wanted a partner that was honest, led with clear, frequent communication, and was as excited as we were about collaborating around a shared vision. From the start, Mahalo brought a high level of transparency and passion to our partnership discussions. We expect working with Mahalo will help us deliver a premium digital solution and streamline the execution of continuous innovation, ensuring that our member experience stays competitive in the industry.”

Mahalo’s digital banking platform offers robust functionality to help credit unions maintain a competitive advantage, prevent fraud and deliver an optimized member-centric experience. With a team comprised of credit union industry veterans and cybersecurity experts, Mahalo understands the unique needs and challenges faced by credit unions and their members. Mahalo’s Thoughtful BankingÒ helps credit unions cater to a diverse membership base through pioneering neurodiverse functionality designed to optimize the user experience for members with cognitive distinctions. Mahalo also provides Credential Assurance Technology (CAT) that eliminates credential stuffing attacks to safeguard credit union operations and member data.

Stevens added, “Our team is especially excited about how our collaboration with Mahalo will enable greater platform extensibility. Creating easily accessible pathways within the platform will allow us to transform a great solution into a truly customized experience, where we can blend our visions without undue burden.”
 
"Ongoing innovation should be the cornerstone of any strong digital strategy, and we are delighted to support Industrial’s forward-looking member experience goals,” said Denny Howell, COO of Mahalo. “As engaging members through digital channels becomes increasingly essential, it is vital for credit unions to optimize their banking solutions to meet and exceed evolving member expectations. Our team works closely with each credit union partner to identify their unique needs, how our solution will advance the digital experience and areas where we can collaborate to implement thoughtful innovations that will satisfy members."

Eltropy, the leading AI-powered conversations platform for community financial institutions (CFIs), today announced significant enhancements to its Unified Conversations Platform. These improvements include Voice+, a modern voice and contact center solution, SBR 2.0 for advanced skill-based routing, Lobby Management features, and additional productivity-boosting updates.

Eltropy Voice+ integrates voice capabilities with digital channels like texting, video, and chat, all enhanced by an AI layer. This creates a comprehensive unified contact center solution for voice, digital, and AI interactions as agents benefit from a streamlined "single pane of glass" interface, enabling more efficient and effective customer service.

The updated Skill-Based Routing (SBR 2.0) introduces several new features:

• Queue Priority for handling high-value interactions first
• Agent Proficiency matching based on language skills
• Offline Queue for after-hours messages
• Cross-Channel concurrency to determine simultaneous channel handling
• Improved performance with faster agent allocation

Lobby Management, part of Eltropy's Total Branch Solution, offers efficient check-ins, queue management, branch traffic analytics, and resource planning tools to enhance the in-branch experience, bridging the gap between digital banking and traditional branch services. 

Additional platform enhancements include updates to Appointment Management, a comprehensive view of AI and agent-handled interactions, supervisor dashboard improvements, and screen pop features for the agent workspace.

"These enhancements reaffirm our commitment to quality and mark one of our most significant engineering efforts to date,” said Ashish Garg, Co-founder and CEO of Eltropy. “We’re excited about the opportunities these improvements will create for credit unions and community banks to elevate their overall member, customer, and employee experience in banking.”

Early adopters of Voice+ include Edwards Federal Credit Union, Natco Credit Union, Novations Credit Union, Oregonians Credit Union, and People First Federal Credit Union.

“What Eltropy is doing with its Unified Conversations Platform will only magnify and highlight all the other technology enhancements that we’re currently making for our members across all departments of the organization,” said Carter Pope, CEO of Edwards Federal Credit Union. “In the end, we’re improving our financial and communications technology to help our employees first, so they can in turn help our members have a better banking experience.”

"Voice+ will make a big difference in how we serve our members," said Howie Meller, President and CEO of People First Federal Credit Union. "Our agents can now use voice alongside text, video, co-browsing, and AI help. This means we can solve problems faster and better, all in one place. It's a real improvement for our members."

For more information about these enhancements and how they can benefit your community financial institution, please visit eltropy.com/platform/june-22-release-highlights. 

Webinar Alert: Eltropy's Brianne Gumper will join a panel of experts in a webinar hosted by America's Credit Union on Wednesday, June 26, at 3:00 p.m. ET. The webinar will discuss strategies to protect credit unions and their members from rising delinquencies while maintaining excellent service and managing costs through technology and automation. Register here. ​

Metallicus, the core developer of Metal Blockchain, a foundational Layer 0 blockchain, today announced that Bonifii has joined its Banking Innovation Program. This collaboration marks a significant revival and evolution of blockchain solutions initially explored by CULedger, now Bonifii, emphasizing their ongoing commitment to harnessing blockchain technology for enhanced financial services.

“This partnership between Metallicus and Bonifii represents a significant advancement for both organizations,” expressed Marshall Hayner, CEO of Metallicus. “By joining forces, we can build on the innovative groundwork laid by CULedger and drive the development of advanced blockchain applications tailored for the financial sector.

Bonifii's dedication to leveraging blockchain technology aligns perfectly with our mission to bring secure, efficient, and scalable solutions to the market. We're excited to collaborate with Bonifii and former CU Ledger credit union partners, utilizing Metal Blockchain technology to realize these innovative use cases. Together, we aim to set new standards in the financial sector, enhancing security, transparency, and overall user experience for all stakeholders involved.”

“Bonifii is excited to join the Metal Blockchain Banking Innovation Program. Our participation in this consortium represents a pivotal step forward in our mission to leverage cutting-edge technology to enhance financial services and protect our members from becoming victims of financial fraud,” said John Ainsworth, President and CEO of Bonifii.

The Banking Innovation Program by Metal Blockchain enables institutions like Bonifii to navigate and adopt customized blockchain solutions, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards while addressing their distinct operational demands. Drawing on Metallicus' unparalleled blockchain expertise and a distinguished advisory board, the program offers innovation workshops, fintech partnerships, R&D grants, and bespoke development, positioning participants to lead and innovate within the dynamic financial sector.

The Metal Blockchain Banking Innovation Program is designed to support financial institutions' journey into blockchain technology at no cost. With a focus on tackling use cases around Digital Identity, Single Sign-On (SSO), Private Subnets, Tokenization of Assets, and more, the program equips participants with the tools and resources needed to drive profitability, lower costs, reduce risks, and deliver unparalleled customer experiences.

Financial institutions keen on participating in the Metal Blockchain Banking Innovation Program can express their interest or learn more by contacting [email protected].

​OneAZ Credit Union, the leading trailblazer for innovation in Arizona’s credit union sector, is revolutionizing the online consumer lending experience through a strategic partnership with Clutch.
 
With Clutch’s cutting-edge technology fully integrated into our user interface, OneAZ is streamlining the lending experience for our members by providing a simplified application and pre-qualification portal. Applicants will have access to a personalized dashboard that delivers up-to-the-minute pre-qualifications for OneAZ’s suite of consumer lending products. This holistic lending experience makes applying for a new loan easier and will give applicants more opportunities for simplifying their finances and empowering their financial future.
 
“Partnering with Clutch is a strategic milestone for OneAZ, allowing us to leverage innovative financial solutions to enhance our member service and drive transformative growth,” said Laura Worzella, Chief Operating Officer at OneAZ. “This collaboration marks a significant step forward in our commitment to inspiring dreams, driving prosperity and expanding our reach in a dynamic marketplace."
 
OneAZ is a financial powerhouse, committed to delivering exceptional member experiences while uplifting the community through economic empowerment and significant philanthropic contributions. By partnering with Clutch, OneAZ is poised to redefine the banking experience for Arizonans through more streamlined loan applications and enhanced user interfaces.
 
Clutch's cutting-edge platform offers credit unions like OneAZ the opportunity to leverage advanced technology to enhance member experiences while optimizing operational efficiency. With a portfolio of north of 110 clients and backing from renowned investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, TruStage Ventures, and Curql, Clutch brings unparalleled expertise and resources to support OneAZ Credit Union's digital transformation.
 
"We are thrilled to join forces with OneAZ Credit Union in our mission to revolutionize consumer lending," said Nicholas Hinrichsen, CEO of Clutch. "By combining Clutch's cutting-edge technology with OneAZ's dedication to community and member-centric values, we are confident in our ability to drive positive change and empower members to achieve their financial goals."
 
The collaboration between Clutch and OneAZ exemplifies the power of partnership and the potential for innovation in the financial services industry. As we work hand in hand to drive digital transformation and deliver exceptional value to members, Clutch and OneAZ are setting a new standard for excellence in consumer banking.
 
For more information about Clutch and its partnership with OneAZ Credit Union,
​please visit www.withclutch.com and www.oneazcu.com.

​Velera – formerly PSCU/Co-op Solutions, the nation’s premier payments credit union service organization (CUSO) and an integrated financial technology solutions provider – today announced it has launched an innovative new onboarding and project management platform. Powered by ServiceNow, the first-of-its kind platform in the payments space is a true differentiator. Credit unions will benefit from the improved transparency and enhanced collaboration provided by this engagement tool – all while laying the groundwork for future generative AI integration.
 
Located within Velera’s Service Portal, the new Project Management Page is a 24/7, self-service offering that provides credit unions the ability to access and view project demand and active project requests in real time – and in one place. Leveraging ServiceNow and a customized user interface, the Project Management Page streamlines projects and elevates the delivery experience, replacing complex, manual industry-wide processes.
 
“Velera is committed to bringing its credit unions the most relevant, innovative and leading-edge solutions. Our investment in this technology is just one example of this promise in action – and the value that we continue to provide our credit unions,” said Velera President and CEO Chuck Fagan. “In addition to driving efficiencies, this truly unique offering will transform the marketplace. To date, few companies have been able to successfully implement this type of technology and we are excited about its ability to provide a significantly enhanced experience for our credit unions.”
 
“We found the new Project Management Page in Velera’s Service Portal to be efficient and easy to use,” said Kim Harmon, electronic services manager of Indiana Members Credit Union. “It’s easily accessible and we can manage all our projects from one location. Adding documents directly into the project request has significantly reduced extra steps and is a great improvement. We are very pleased with the streamlined experience this new self-service platform delivers.”